For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
